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providing for the continuance of the
committee for the investigation of
the charges made in the affidavit and
for an inquiry into why the affidavit
was secured.
The resolution was passed unani
mously, although earlier in ihe day
a number of senators had taken a
decided stand against the senate be
ing used to investigate a. man's pri
vate affairs.
"Why," said $ne senator, early in
the day, "if this goes on, we might
have to name another investigating
committee to investigate- the investi
gating committee investigating the
vice investigating committee. What
have the lieutenant governor's mor
als got to do with the work of the
senate welfare commission any
how?" .
But the testimony of Coan today
completely changed this statement,
and made the senators feel that jt
was time the plot against O'Hara
were probed to the bottom.
Boss Dick Sullivan now is in a very
peculiar position. When he produced
the affidavit yesterday he swore be
fore the senate that he had obtained
it only the night before.
"The affidavit was not in my pos
session," he testified. 'l Went out
and got it last night after I w&s sum
moned by the senate."
Now it appears that Sullivan was
threatening to produce the affidavit
as fat back as Apr!) 28.
Also, before Coan testified today,
Sullivan was asked what he had to
say about an interview given by
O'Hara to the morning papers, inT
Which O'Hara said that he, Sullivan,
had threatehed to ruin him.
"If Lieut.-Cov. O'Hara says I
threatened to ruin him if he carried
on the vice investigation in Spring
field, "he lied," was all Sullivan would
say in answer.
Now Sullivan will have to prove to
the senate that he not only did not
threaten to ruin O'Hara, but that he
did not also threaten to put the sn
tire low wages commission out of
business.
The charges in the affidavit now in
the hands of the senate managing
committee still are being kept secret.
It is understood, however, that they
are that O'Hara took a Springfield
woman from Springfield-sto Chicago
and that the affidavit is signed by
Maud Robinson, a well-known wo
man of this city.
The charge of Big Business against Lieut. Gov. Barratt O'Hara;
That he brought a woman named Maud Robinson from Springfield to
Chicago January 17 of last year, and lived as man and wife with her at (he
Stierman hotel for three days. -
The man who produced the, affidavit containing this charge:
Under Sheriff Richard M. Sullivan, political boss of Sangamon County.
Those said to be behind the charge:
A number of brewers who supply the brothels of Illinois with beer and
whose business the O'Hara commission's vice investigation was hurting;
the International Shoe "Co., whiqh Is the Shoe Trust, and the organised Big
Business of Springfield and Chicago. -
The object of the charge:
To discredit the Senate Welfare Commission, of which, O'Hara is chair
man, and which exposed the starvation wages by Chicago millionaire de
partment store and factory owners and the Slioe Trusty
O'Hara's answer to the charge:
T demand that this charge be probed to the bottom, so that my nam
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